Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen has criticized what he perceives as efforts to distort the narrative surrounding a proposed Chinese-built canal near Vietnam’s border.
The influential former prime minister rejected claims that “the canal will enhance the presence of the Chinese navy near the Vietnamese border” in a post on the social media platform X.
The Funan Techo canal, officially known as the Tonle Bassac Navigation Road and Logistics System Project, will link the Cambodian coastal province of Kep on the Gulf of Thailand with the inland provinces of Kandal and Takeo, as well as the capital Phnom Penh through a Mekong River tributary.
This 180-kilometer (112-mile) canal is set to be constructed by a Chinese company as a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project costing US$1.7 billion, with an operational date of 2028. It aims to divert a significant amount of Cambodian goods away from Vietnam’s ports, providing some autonomy in the country’s foreign trade.
Vietnam has raised concerns about the potential environmental and economic implications of the project, which Phnom Penh attempted to downplay during a visit by Prime Minister Hun Manet to Hanoi in December.
Hun Manet, Hun Sen’s second son, reportedly assured Vietnamese leaders that the project would not disrupt the Mekong river water system.
Some analysts quoted in international media believe that the Funan Techo canal signifies Cambodia’s effort to distance itself from Vietnam. While Hanoi has traditionally been a partner of Phnom Penh and played a role in installing Hun Sen in the 1980s, Cambodia has increasingly leaned towards China in recent years.
There have also been suggestions that the canal could serve a dual purpose, allowing Chinese naval vessels to navigate upstream from the Gulf of Thailand towards the Vietnamese border. Kep province is just a few kilometers from Vietnam’s Kien Giang province, and the two countries share a 1,258 km (781 miles) land border.
Unconstitutional Claims
In his post on X, Hun Sen emphasized that Chinese troop presence on Cambodian soil is unconstitutional.
“Why does Cambodia need Chinese troops?” he questioned.
Hun Sen and other Cambodian officials have previously dismissed allegations of China establishing a military base at Ream, Sihanoukville province, labeling them as “false accusations.”
“I don’t believe he [Hun Sen] is incorrect,” stated Virak Ou, president of the Cambodian NGO Future Forum.
Ou expressed doubt about the canal’s usefulness for the Chinese military, asserting that any conflict between China and Vietnam would primarily play out at sea and in the air.
“Hun Sen’s statement appears to indirectly reassure Vietnamese leaders that the Funan Techo canal will not have military purposes,” remarked Huynh Tam Sang, a lecturer at Vietnam National University. “This statement comes at a time of Vietnam’s concerns that Cambodia could facilitate a Chinese military base in the region.”
“Hun Sen has adeptly maneuvered between China and Vietnam,” a political analyst told Radio Free Asia.
“With its limited influence, Cambodia relies on China for political and economic backing. Maintaining stable relations with Vietnam allows Cambodia to retain control while addressing China’s requirements,” Sang added.
Another Vietnamese analyst, Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s Yusof Ishak Institute, believes that concerns about the potential dual use of the Funan Techo canal primarily focus on worries regarding a Chinese military presence in Cambodia rather than specific military applications of the canal.
“Considering the stated capacity of the canal, I do not see it posing a significant military threat to Vietnam,” Giang noted, adding that “Hanoi might be more concerned about developments in the Ream Naval Base.”
Geopolitical Implications
According to the Vietnamese analyst, greater concerns revolve around the environmental consequences on Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and the likelihood of Cambodia drifting further from Vietnam’s economic sphere as Hanoi has invested significant efforts in maintaining close economic relations with Cambodia and Laos.
Meanwhile, Brian Eyler, director of the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Program in Washington D.C., told RFA, “Simply looking at the map attests to how the Funan Techo canal impacts the regional geopolitics.”
Eyler suggested that a way to alleviate concerns is to allow the Mekong River Commission, the intergovernmental body responsible for sustainable river management, to conduct regional consultations and a third-party technical review of the canal “as mandated for all projects involving the mainstream.”
Vietnamese authorities should exercise caution to “avoid provoking Cambodia” over the Chinese military presence narrative, cautioned Huynh Tam Sang from Vietnam National University.
“Vietnam’s concerns are valid, but the Hun Manet government holds authority over its infrastructure projects, including the proposed Funan Techo canal,” Sang pointed out. “Exaggerating this issue could backfire, painting Vietnam as an instigator in the eyes of Cambodian leaders.”
Translated by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.